Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, 34, is used to being a star on the basketball court, but he's taken on a new role speaking out about mental health.
“I think we all need that one spark to bring out a little more and shine a light and help others,” DeRozan said Wednesday after the Bulls' practice at Chicago's Advocate Center. Told.
Less than 24 hours later, the 34-year-old returned to the University of Southern California's campus to perform a new digital series in front of his former student-athletes.
“Having to step out of my comfort zone and show a different side of myself, especially having to watch something in a room full of people, was nerve-wracking. It was an honor to do it,” DeRozan said.
DeRozan's Bulls teammate Nikola Vucevic supports DeRozan's new series and what he is trying to accomplish.
“It takes a lot of strength on the part of people to do that,” Vucevic said. “It's really amazing and for him to do that at USC and show it in front of the student-athletes, especially these days with social media and the extra pressure, even more so for young athletes who go through that.” I think it's difficult.'' And. “
The series, called “Dinners With DeMar,” is available on YouTube and includes conversations with athletes aimed at breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health.
“I really respect and admire DeMar for not only his individual effort, but his willingness to share that vulnerability,” Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said.
In the first episode, filmed in July 2022, DeRozan sits down with Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, whom he also calls a friend. During the 45-minute episode, Green told his friend, “We're watching him reinvent the person that DeMar is.”
Asked about the series during practice, DeRozan said his journey to mental health has been a process.
“Being a father, being a friend, being a teammate, this is a constant journey for me, being at one with my emotions and recognizing what it takes to not run away from them. It makes it easier,” DeRozan said.
That weakness, Donovan says, is a sign of DeRozan's strength.
“People looking in from the outside would think he was doing everything well and everything was easy and he just persevered and fought through everything and things came his way. “But I think he should talk about his own personal struggles that he's had to deal with. I think it gives people a lot of inspiration and hope,” Donovan said.
